Horse-releasing device.



R. A. JENNE.

HORSE RELEASING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1913.

1,1 12,910, Patented 0ct.6,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WI'HVESSES R J67Z7L6 LVVENTOR THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTO-LITHO.. \VASHINGYON, D. c.

R. A; JBNNE.

'HORSE RELEASING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APRJ, 1913. 1,1 12,911) Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

2 BHEETS-SHBET 2.

ll/[A170 WITNESSES QWMfi WW I 0 m A Home THE NORRIS PEYERS 60., PHOTOLITHO" WASHINGTON 04 c.

H so

UNITE.STATESPATENTOFFIOE.

ROBERT A. JENNE, or EUREKA, KANSAS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatLjBoBERr A. JnnNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eureka, in the county! of Greenwood and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Releasing. Devices, of which the following is a specification, referencebeinghad therein to the accompanyingdrawing. 1

This invention relates *to horse releasing devices and has for its object the production of a simple and efficient horse releaser whereby the horse may be efliciently des tached from the shafts of a vehicle in case the horse should become frightened and run away. 1 1 1 Another object of this invention is the production of a simpleyand efficient means for attaching theharness to the shafts of a vehicle in such a mannerlas to be quickly and efficiently releasedflfrom the shafts.

With these and other objects in View, this invention consistsof certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed. 1 b b In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pair of shafts showing the horse releasing mechanism attached thereto. Fig. 1

2 is a section taken on;the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 Is a detail perspective of one of "the shaft engaging bands adapted to engage the back strap. Flg. 4 is asldeelevation of one'of the clamping members i adapted to engage a breeching'strap; Fig. .5 is a central vertical sectional view through the clamping member adapted toengage the breeching strap. Fig.6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 41. Fig. 7 is a detail per-.

spective ofone of the engaging links adapted to attach thebreeching strap to the clamping member. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section partly in elevation. of-the trace'att ach- 1 used in connectionwith the present inven;

mg meansadapted to bercarried by the whif fie-trees Fig.9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a central horizontal section takenon line10-+1O of Figs 8. Fig. 11 is a sideelevation of the right hand trace engaging clip which might be tion.

' By referring tothedlflw gsr will be seen that 1 designates thefshafts which are provided with the usual jcrosstree member 2. The cross tree 2 has a whiffie-tree 3 nonsn-nnnnasnxie nEvIcE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnted Oct, 1914.1 Application filed April 1, .1913. Serial No.758,206.

pivotally secured thereto by means of a pivot pin 1. A pair of clampingmembers 5 are secured to the shafts l and breeching strap engaging links 18 are secured to thesestraps or clamps so as to be detached therefrom When the horse is released from the shafts. '1

1 The heavy strap 8 engages the member 7 on both sides to holdupthe which comprises a shaft engaging; loop 9 which is circular in form so as to efliciently slip over the shafts l. A clamping bridge portion 10 is formed upon the top of the body portion '1' of the shaft engaging member 1 and carries a locking pin 12 which locking pin is adapted to pass through the aperture 13 formed in the heavy strap 8. This pin its placeby means of at 12 is normally held in a cotter pin or sealing ring 14 of any desired structure for preventing the pin12 from becoming acci heavy strap engaging member 7. b

The body portion of the heavy strap engaging member 7 is providedwith a downentally displaced from the wardly extending loop portion l0 through which is adapted to pass the strap 8 from b the bellyband of theharness to prevent the shaft from rising up when backing. 1

As is clearly illustrated in Figs. ;4,5 $and1 6, the br'eeching strap engaging member 5.- comprises a clamp 5 which is provided with parallel lips 15 and through these lips passes alocking bolt 16 forclamping the band 5 firmly around the shafts 1. The clamp die provided also with: an upwardly extending socket portion 17 in which fitsthe breeching strap engaging link 18. This socket portion 17 comprises apair of spacedjlips 19 and 20 which produce 'an opening 21 for facilitating the-placing and removal of the link 18 1 into and out of the socket portion 17. It 1 will be seen bymeans of the clamping bolt 16 that the clampb maybe firmly secured in eiigage'me'nt with the shaft so as to preventthe sameffrom becoming accidentally-jda tached therefrom; a

The breeching strap engagi1 1glinky 18 comprises a substantially rectangular body and one side of the rectangular body portion is provided with a beveled surface 22 ,which- 1 body portion will be allowed to move out from between the lips 19 and 20 and thereby allow the horse to be detached fromthe clamp A. downwardly projecting lug 23 isflform'ed. upon the link 18 and this downwardly projecting lug 23 is adapted to abut against theshoulder 24 formed upon the bottom of the lip 17, to prevent the link 18 from slipping too far in the socket 17 be-.

tween the lips 19 and 20 when hitching up. It, of, course, should be understood that the breeching strap 26 may be secured in any desired manner tothe links 18 for accomplishing the desired purpose.

The whiffle-tree 3 carries a caslng 27 'at each end which. contains the trace engaglng portions for detac ling the traces from the hittle-tree. Each casing 27 is provided with a socket portion 28 which fits over the end of the whiffie-tree v3 and each casing 27 is provided with spacedlips 29 at its outer endbetween which lipsis pivotally mounted the trace engaging knuckle 30. This trace engaging knuckle 30 comprises a wide body portion terminating in a reducedneck 31 which'neck in turn terminates in a short finger 32 and a long finger 33. The trace is adapted to fit'snugly over the neck 31 and Ziunder normal conditions will be held against removal from the neck by means ofthe long finger 33.

mounted between the lips 29. by means of the pivot bolt 34 and the under surface of ,the knuckle 30 rests upon the shoulder 35 formed upon the outer end of the casing 27. The under portion of the knuckle 30 is provided with an aperture 36 which passes in a semi-circular form under the bridge portion'37 formed upon the under face of the knuckle 30. The hooked end 38 of the coil spring 39 ispassed. through this aper-- ture'36 and fits over the bridge portion 37 and thereby constitutes an eflicient means for securing the spring to the knuckle 30. Theopposite end of the spring 39 is passed through the aperture 40 formed inthe casing 27 and is securely held in engagement with the casing37 by means of the hook 41 formed upon the end of: the spring. It will beseen that the spring 39 will normally hold the knuckle 30 in the position as illustrated in full lines in'Fig. 8, and at the same time will allow the knuckle 30 to be swung to the position as shown in dotted lines in Fig.

This knuckle 30 is pivotally' 8, when unlocked by means of thelocking lever 42. mounted upon the pivot pin 43 in one side of the casing 27 and is normally held within the casing 27 by means of the coil spring 44 which coil spring fits over the bridge portion 45 which passes through {the circular aperture 46. The spring 44 is provided with a hook portion 47 similar to the hook por-.

tion 38 of the spring 39 and thereby constitutes an efficient means for securing the spring to the locking lever 42. The opposite end of the spring 44 is. secured to the casing 27 sim lar to the manner in whlch I the spring 39 is secured thereto bymeans of the hook portion 48.

The locking lever 42 has an operating cable 49 secured to the inner end thereof, and has a knot 50 formed upon the end of the cable which knot fits in the socket 51 formed in the locking lever 42. :This cable The locking lever 42 is pivotally' 49 passes through an aperture 52 formed in the casing 27 and this cable is likewise setrace engaging means as illustrated in Fig. 1 and is in turn connected to an operating cable 53 which cable may passto any desired position upon the vehicle.

From the foregoingdescription, it will be seen that when it is desired to release the horse from the vehicle, the cable 53 may be pulled, thereby swinging the locking lever 42 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. This will'allow the horse to pull forward upon the knuckle 30 and swing the same to the position shown in dotted lines, whereupon the trace will he slipped over the fingers 32 and 33 as the horse moves forward. At the same time the link 18 will be swung to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and will thereby be removed from the clamp 5. As the horse continues in a forward direction, the heavy strap '8 and back band engaging member 7 will: be-

slipped off the end of the shaft and the horse will then be free, from the vehicle. It,

of course, should be understood that the shafts may be held up by means of cables, ropes, or any other desired means, without departing from the spi'rit of the invention, and, of course, any desired guiding means may be employed uponthe vehicle. It is thought unnecessary to go into a detail de scription of this mechanism as the same is foreign subject-matter to the present invention.

cured to the locking lever 42 of the opposite V The present construction of the attachv ment of the whiiiletree to the trace is an im portant one especially owing to themanner in which the springs 39 and 44 are connect-. ed to the knuckle 30 and the locking lever 42. It should be understoodthat owing to the peculiar hooks 38 and i 47 which are formed upon the springs 39 and 44, the same may be readily detached from the knuckle 30 and locking lever142 by drawing the hooks 41 and 48 backfrom the casing 27 until the end of the hooks may be seen.

Then swing the hooks 41 or 48 around so as to pass through the apertures 40 where the same may be readily and easily removed from the bridge portions 37 and 45 whereupon new springs maybe replaced therefor provided the springs 39 and 44 should be come injured or otherwise unfit for use. The springs are replaced 1n the same manner-as they are taken out with the exception that a small string or hook may be used to draw the hooks 41 or 48 through the aperture 40.

comprising a casing, a trace connecting knuckle pivotally secured upon said casing and provided with a flat under surface, spring means for normally holding the same parallel with said casing, a locking lever pivotally secured upon said casing and pro Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of IPatents,

vided with a flat outer end adapted to engage the under face of said knucklefor locking the same against pivotal movement upon said casing, spring means for normally holding said locking lever parallel with said casing, and means engaging said locking lever for releasin said lever from said trace engaging knuc e and allowing said trace engaging knuckle to swing to a forward position.

2. A device of the class described comprising a casing, a knuckle carried by said casing, said knuckle provided with a circular aperture upon the lower face thereof, a

bridge portion straddling said aperture, a spring secured to said caslng and provided a 1 with a hook fitting over said bridge portion for detachably securing said springto said knuckle, and locking means engaging said knuckle for normally holdingsaid knuckle against pivotal movement upon said casing. In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence oftwo Witnesses.

Witnesses: I p FRANK B. GREGG, W. S. MARLIN.

Washington, D.,G.

ROBERT A. JENNE. H 

